Trusting God to Work In The Lives of Others

There are so many stories and verses in scripture that urge us to trust God with so many things: our lives, our provision, our protection, our belongings, our careers, and also our relationships. I want to talk directly about the ways in which God asks us to trust him to work in the lives of people around us.

We are to trust God to help open people’s hearts to the gospel when they hear it, but don’t understand. We are to help people and talk about the gospel, but we cannot trust in our efforts alone. We must acknowledge God’s power also. He is always working to bring about what is good. There can also be situations when God is doing a work in a person’s life and He is also asking us to let this person go. In those moments we have to trust God that he is working even when we cannot see or when we have no part in it. Also, for our wandering fellow believers, their is always hope for their return because God has not abandoned them.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Romans 8:28 NLT

The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.
Psalm 145:9 ESV

Unbelievers

God is innately good in all his doing. God also works in the lives of unbelievers to bring them to himself, but everyone has to make that choice of faith for themselves. Trusting God to work in the hearts of unbeliever’s requires faith. We can preach the gospel to them endlessly every day and live our lives according to Christ. We can do all these things, but their coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ in their hearts occurs between them and the Lord. God reaches out to the unbeliever in His own ways and through us, the Church, but the person must accept the gift of Christ with faith. A heart must believe.

I’m not saying we should give up any notion of witnessing to people or that there is no use in it. We absolutely play a part in people coming to Christ. It’s incredibly important to talk about our faith in Jesus and share it for God is working through us, but we cannot see people’s resistance to the gospel as our personal failure. For many, coming to faith is a very real and sometimes long process that can take almost an entire lifetime. We are never alone when we share our faith because God is working too even though we can’t see it.

We can’t see all the ways God uses us, even when we think at times we are failing miserably at sharing the gospel. But one day we will know when all will be revealed at eschaton (Luke 8:17). I believe when we show up in what God calls us to do he is already there working… inviting us in to care for people as he does.

Those Who Hurt Us

We are called to be kind and pray for those who hurt us and to trust that God can help them. God can change people’s hearts and he is merciful just as he was merciful with us. As we pray for the people who really hurt us we learn that there is more to a person’s being than just their actions. We can learn to have true compassion for people and learn that people usually act harshly out of a greater hurt of their own.

There are times where we must let go of relationships where people are continuously hurting us or other reasons that mean that the relationship is no longer viable. I am no expert as to when to walk away and when to stay, but there absolutely can come a time when you need to let go of a person from your life completely. And this is when you really just have to leave them in the hands of God and accept that all you can do is pray for them from a healthy distance.

Recently, I had a close friend who had betrayed my trust and tried repeatedly to manipulate me. When I spoke with them about it they fused to take any responsibility or apologize and never spoke to me again. Yes, I am still upset with what this person did, but I also know with all my heart I want to see this person grow and become better. I do not wish this person any ill will though they hurt me deeply. I will pray for them without ceasing for I know that even though I am no longer in their life God is helping them. He will be the one to help them onto the right path and their current path no longer involves me.

Fellow Believers

We are to encourage our brothers and sisters, but God builds their faith. We are to teach and disciple, but it’s God who brings the growth. Sometimes I share resources, but people do not engage with them or use them. Our encouragement to our brothers and sisters can fall on deaf ears. People must reach a point when they are actually teachable. People have to want help before they can accept it, all in their own time.

For the fellow believer who has gone astray it’s difficult for them. I was once that person for over six years, when I knew Jesus but lived otherwise. It’s possible for us prodigals to come back. But also remember all of us go astray and faulter in our faith at some point in this life (Isaiah 53:6). Amazingly the God who we put our faith in is the one who never leaves us! Please be a loving encouragement to any believer who has lost their way and have peace that the one who is faithful to you is faithful to them as well! Amen!

My little brother who accepted Christ as I did at a young age faltered in his faith much like I did. While he lived abroad I sent him a letter of my testimony about how he could come back to the Lord like I did. I told him God wanted him back home. And I prayed many times for God to help him and open his eyes to the truth. During this time my brother had a close-to-death experience where he realized in that moment that God was protecting him while he was far from home (physically and spiritually). After his return to the States and some time passed I could tell my brother’s faith had returned. There came a day where I saw him sitting on a couch with his bible open listening attentively to a recorded sermon from our local church. God is faithful to us, his people, indeed.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
Philippians 1:6 NLT

What I am saying is that we still participate in people’s lives through discipling, teaching , evangelizing, encouraging but I want to take some of the pressure off our shoulders. God works in us and through us, but we don’t change people. God does. And we can trust Him to work in people’s lives just as we can trust him to faithfully work in our own. God is patient and so we are always in process, learning to be also.